Il The Palio of the Normans is a great event in a costume that take place every year in Piazza Armerina during the 12th, 13th and 14th of August.The first edition was in 1952 and it has its origin between the end of the XVII and the beginning of the XVIII century, when the twelve confraternities of the city organised an historic procession to celebrate Maria Santissima delle Vittorie..The citizens use to call this event the "Cavalcata", a word that still today is used to indicate the Palio.
The first day of the Palio, 12th of August, is set up the benediction of the Knights and of the Quarters, in addition to the Consign of the Arms in Teatro Square (from the roof of our Rooms & Breakfast you have the possibility to follow the event).
In the second day,13th of August, it is represented the Consign of the Keys to theCount Ruggero d’Altavilla in Duomo Square.
The third day, in the local football field, 14th of August, the Knight of the four quarters start off The Quintana of the Saracen, in which they confront each other with horseback juggling where the point of contention is the Standard of the patron saint of the city Maria Santissima delle Vittorie.
Il The Palio of the Normans is registered in the Register of Intangible Heritagei (REI) ofSicilY and it is also part of the Italian Federation of Historical Games.
The archaeological site known as Villa Romana del Casale is a luxurious abode located at about 5 km from the centre of Piazza Armerina.The monumental site,recognised as UNESCO World Heritage in 1997, was revealed with the archaeological excavation during the Fifties of the last century.
The villa from the late Roman period consists of four group of room with peristyle gallerias, courtyards and thermal places..At a lower level there are a thermal complex and a large exedra latrine, while at the second level there are the peristyle and the living areas. At a third level you can find a three-apse hall and the opposite xystus. In the end, there is a fourth group of buildings that is composed of private apartments and the basilica hall which opens onto a long ambulatory.
With over 3.500 square meters ofmosaic floors, the villa offers the most extraordinary and broad site of mosaic decoration known in the world.
Piazza Armerina is a medieval map ancient city with a remarkable Baroque and Norman historic centre. In the same territory you can find the Villa romana del Casale, UNESCO World Heritage since 1997.
You will be fascinated by the historic centre, rich in alleys where you can discover evocative glimpses of the city, historical monuments, noble buildings and centuries-old churches. The entire landscape is dominated by the majestic bulk of theCathedral, , located in Duomo square , from which it is possible to see part of the Monte quarter and the countryside. The Trigona Palace and the Aragonese Castle will carry you during the noble time of Piazza Armerina.
The city has been dominated by the Normans, as artworks, traditions and the presence of a Norman Castle,that become a jail in recent times, reveal.
Piazza Armerina, just like all Sicilian cities, has experienced the Swabian, the Anjou and the Aragonese domination; the Spanish vice-kingdom, the Bourbon domination and, as evidenced by the recent reports, the Risorgimento revolts.